The film begins with Tionne Watkins (Drew Sidora) narrating, telling about the girls' lives as children and summarizing their story. The film then jumps to the year 1990 in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state). Tionne, after being rejected from an all-male street dance crew despite impressing the crowd at a rollerskating center, is approached by her friend, Marie, who informs her about a girl group being formed by Ian Burke and persuades her to audition for LaFace Records. Tionne, although reluctant, brings Crystal Jones (Brooke Montalvo), the founder of the group, to meet her rapper friend Lisa Lopes (Lil Mama) and see her perform and Crystal says that she will be perfect for the group. After singing "Meeting in the Ladies Room (song)", they receive a mixed reception, mostly in part due to Crystal's ill-fated off key performance. However, both Tionne and Lisa garner interest from both Perri "Pebbles" Reid (Rochelle Aytes) and her husband, co-founder of LaFace L.A. Reid (Carl Anthony Payne II). After receiving the good news from both Pebbles and L.A. Reid, Lisa decides that she should call her family in Philadelphia and tell them the great news, especially her father, who told her that she would never make it as a rapper. She calls her family only to learn that her father has been shot and killed, which causes her to begin drinking heavily in her grief.